A joint team of Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), District Reserve Guard (DRG) and Special Task Force (STF) was out on a search operation when it nabbed two of the rebels in Sargipal village on Saturday, Narayanpur's superintendent of police Santosh Singh told PTI.

The two cadres were identified as Sonu Netam (40) and Shankar Hemla (20).

Based on Netam's statement, a muzzle loading gun was also recovered from a nearby forest, he said.

The duo was allegedly involved in setting ablaze a passenger bus after asking its occupants to alight near Sonpur village in the district in June, he said.

They were also tasked with arranging commodities of daily use and meetings of the senior ultras, the SP said.

The security personnel also nabbed another Naxal, Suresh Markam (24), in Devgaon village on Saturday, he said.

Markam was allegedly involved in several offences, including attacks on police parties, he added.